Planning Grant: Engineering Research Center for Convergent Genomics

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The Planning Grants for Engineering Research Centers competition was run as a pilot solicitation within the ERC program. Planning grants are not required as part of the full ERC competition, but intended to build capacity among teams to plan for convergent, center-scale engineering research.Genomics is transforming health, nature, and society in the 21st century, as new technologies make genomic data available, accessible, and useful to an increasingly wide range of stakeholders. To reap the transformative benefits of genomics, however, better integration between what genomic technologies are feasible and what genomic technologies are useful is necessary. Convergent genomics adapts to the changing relationship between the development of ideas and technology and the individuals, groups and institutions that are affected by these innovations. The convergent model integrates recognized leaders from engineering, natural, and social sciences with experience in technology development, genome analytics, and the integration of science and social impact analysis. This planning grant will capture interdisciplinary expertise in a manner that maximizes the power of convergent genomics--that is, a genomics in which engineers work alongside natural and social scientists, formulating the foci of work and the novel forms of engagement needed to realize them. Through a series of three workshops focused on identifying research themes, stakeholders, and organizing principles, the problems facing the growing genomics community and the specific tools and resources needed for convergent genomics will be developed. Genomics, due to the speed of technological innovation, volume of data produced, and expertise required to generate and interpret these data, is at high risk of evolving through narrowly focused research communities that are heavily siloed and not motivated to serve the best interests of society. The UCSC Genomics Institute has the unique combination of expertise in device and instrument development, genome analytics, and social sciences to be a global leader in engineering technologies that are designed to maximize both technological power and social impact. Through a series of three planning meetings and with the help of a facilitator, we will develop a proposal for an Engineering Research Center (ERC) with activities that will revolve around four pillars of genomics innovation: Integrated device and instrument technology; data science; training the next genomic engineering work force; and establishing and protecting the innovation ecosystem of the genomics field. These pillars, which represent the intellectual merit of our proposed ERC, require a convergent and holistic approach that far exceeds the scope of small-scale projects and small teams of investigators, thus achieving the broader impacts that are the promise of convergent genomic innovation. For instance, technologies that glean molecular information must do so from diverse biological samples efficiently and accurately and communicate results to a broad constituency of stakeholders. Devices and instruments are valuable to the public only if resulting data and information are accessible, equitable and open, and shared in a manner that is cognizant of the complex challenges of privacy and justice. Similarly, questions of storage of, access to, and ownership of genomic data and technologies present formidable challenges that will result in policies that affect everyone across society. Activities such as implementation of a cross-departmental undergraduate mentoring program and establishment of a Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) site in concert with other academic partner institutions will integrate trainees into this convergent environment. Open workshops, symposia, and outreach activities, which will be developed throughout the planning period, will engage the public and other stakeholders.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.